Spring Breaking Point
by Hermione-2113
Summary: Based on the events of 'Bikini Wax' and 'Conspiracy Theory'. Could be Tate...


The last stubborn snow had finally melted. The timid green shoots that had been peppering it were developing into strong plants. The air was ever-louder with the calls of returning birds, and other animals were preparing for young.

And the final, most-definitive sign of the burgeoning season - Tony DiNozzo had once again maneuvered his vacation days to see him through for that one frenetic week. Spring break.

This year, however, was slightly different. Where Breaks past had found Tony in search of little more than a fun time, he was now a Man on a Mission.

To begin with, his destination now was the same as last year's. This meant that he would be without the company of his buddies, who liked to pick a different spot every time. But Tony considered this a worthy sacrifice. After all, he had a Mission.

It had all started not long after his last spring adventure. The prize he had carried home - that shocking (in more ways than one) snapshot of a certain co-worker of his - had been somehow lost. Though he'd saved a copy in his computer, he went in to look one day only to find it gone.

Tony had his suspicions, of course, and they were all named McGee. Not many would have the ability to hack into his machine and delete that file. He pulled a face just thinking about it; first Abby had taken Kate's side, then the probie. It really wasn't fair.

So he'd bided his time for one long, long year. And this time he wouldn't take chances; a copy for his home computer, work computer, a few strategically hidden data CDs.

Kate might have already suffered the ultimate humiliation in having Gibbs see that picture - but there were many, many more places it could go, and she and Tony both knew it. He was looking forward to having something to dangle over her head...and, if it must be admitted, seeing the picture again himself.

So it was that, barely a day or two later, Tony was wandering that old bar. He was slightly disoriented - it felt strange _not_ to be drunk at a place like this - but wanted his mind clear until the Mission was Accomplished. He located the informal hall of fame and started to work his way down. There was the winner of '97's contest...'96...'95...

Tony blinked suddenly, startled. He'd been searching the faces for that one he knew so well...and in a way, he found it. In full, living, breathing, color.

But minus the wet t-shirt, he noted with faint disappointment.

"DiNozzo!" Kate hissed, grabbing his arm. "What are you doing here?"

He recovered himself enough to smirk. "Spring break, of course. You too, I take it? Don't forget, the contest's tomorrow. I'm sure they'd be happy to welcome back one of their old winners..."

Tony glanced at the wall, noticing only then that the '94 space was blank. He looked back at Kate, eyes narrowing as she attempted to furtively push something farther into a coat that it was far too warm for her to be wearing.

"Theft, Agent Todd?" he inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing that wasn't mine to begin with," she retorted. "I would have saved a lot of trouble if I'd done this years ago."

"Bad sport."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Say what you want, and enjoy your week. I'm going back to my hotel and locking myself in for the next six -" too late, she bit her tongue.

He grinned. "Couldn't get a return ticket any earlier, huh?"

She shot him a glare. "No, for your information. The agency was selling nothing but 'Spring Break Packages'." The disdainful quotation marks were obvious. "And since this place isn't open during the rest of the year..."

Tony opened his mouth, only to be cut off by a throat-clearing from a lurking waiter. The pair of them were obviously not drunk and thus had not purchased anything at the bar; apparently, such freeloaders were not allowed to linger long.

The man looked suspiciously at Kate, whose eyes widened nervously. Her coat was obviously out-of-place, and any moment he was going to notice that missing picture...

Pasting a smile on his face - not that difficult an endeavor - Tony slung an arm around Kate's shoulders and led her in the direction of the bar, digging out two crumpled bills and tossing them at the waiter. The other agent's scowl as she went along with the ruse could have soured milk.

As soon as they were out of the man's sight, Kate started to push Tony away; he cuffed her teasingly. "Tut, tut," he murmured.

She gritted her teeth but let him steer her to a cramped table, flagging another waiter down for two drinks - not strong enough to cloud their minds, but not weak enough to arouse suspicion during a spring break weekend.

"You're enjoying this," Kate accused, slumping sulkily away from him.

Tony only blinked innocently.

"I hate karma," she muttered. "Do one stupid thing when you're a dumb teenager, and it comes back to haunt you when you're a mature government agent."

He opened his mouth. She leveled a finger at him. "Don't say it, DiNozzo."

"I was only going to say," Tony informed her with an injured air, "That surely stealing is a naughty enough offence to merit further karmic punishment."

Kate tilted a brow at him. "I can't see how _this_ can come back to haunt me."

"Oh, I don't know," he bluffed without turning a hair. "Another copy of that picture might surface, or something."

Her jaw dropped. "No way. McGee swore - er..."

Tony smiled grimly. Suspicions proved, and probie was dead meat when they got home.

Kate groaned. "Tony, come on. I bullied him into it."

"Your point being?"

"Come _on_." She sighed. "Fine. What'll make you leave him alone?"

He affected a thoughtful pose, watching her shift nervously, then smirked. "Well, there is that contest tomorrow...kidding, kidding!" Tony held out a hand as if to fend her off.

"Then. What."

He smiled. "I'll think of something."


End file.
